This invention relates to protective covers for automobile window sills which are intended to prevent chaffing and other discomfort to a user when the sill is used to support a human arm, and to sunscreens which filter out solar light during passage through window glass.
It is common practice for an operator or passenger in an automobile to rest his/her arm on the sill of a nearby open window while seated in the vehicle. Many automobile manufacturers install an arm rest on the side of the door on the inner surface, but this arm rest is not comfortable for many persons because it is too low or because it constrains the arm within the confines of the vehicle. Even though the person may be more comfortable with his/her arm resting on the window sill, long term contact with the sill becomes uncomfortable because of the contact with the edge of the window and with the crack in the door which provides for upward and downward egress of the window. In hot weather, the sill may be too hot for use as an arm rest.
The automobile industry has attempted to provide a variety of covers which facilitate the use of the sill as an arm rest. Refer to U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,493, to W. W. Haefliger, incorporated herein by reference as a first incorporated reference. Other references of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,777,730 to Parshall, 2,274,026 to Allen, 3,451,717 to Carter, 2,601,052 to Ortleb, 3,603,637 to DePinto, and 2,877,049 to Lucas, all relating to arm rests of various types.
The passage of sunlight through the glass of an automobile window is often excessive and many devices exist to filter out specific harmful wavelengths or to generally reduce the brightness of transmitted light. The window glass may be tinted or covered permanently or temporarily by a thin film of translucent material or may be covered temporarily by a shield of opaque material. Many temporary shields prove cumbersome while permanent shields lack versatility. Refer to U.S. Pat. No. 3,025,098 to A. A. Andrews, incorporated herein by reference as a second incorporated reference. U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,457 to Pike is of interest also.
It is an object of this invention to provide an arm rest for the window sill of an automobile which is comfortable and convenient.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an arm rest for the window sill of an automobile which can also be used to screen or shade solar radiation from the interior of the automobile.